Shakespeare words: D

daff verb

To cast off or throw aside—usually clothes or armor, but also to push away a person or problem with a dismissive gesture or excuse. It's a quick, careless rejection.

He daffed his doublet aside and climbed into bed.

dagger noun

A short, sharp-pointed blade used for stabbing—often paired with a rapier in the sword-fighting style of Shakespeare's time. In the morality plays that came before, the Vice character carried a wooden dagger as a prop.

A skilled fighter of the era could handle both rapier and dagger at once.

dainty adjective

Fussy or overly particular about something. Someone who is dainty hesitates or holds back, unwilling to get their hands dirty or compromise their standards.

Don't be dainty about it—just speak your mind.

daisied adjective

Covered with daisies. A meadow or field thick with these white and yellow flowers.

A daisied bank where lovers rest in spring.

dalliance noun

Wasting time on something trivial or unimportant. Often implies flirtation or romantic dawdling.

No time for dalliance—the battle begins at dawn.

dally verb

To waste time or play around with something, usually in a flirtatious or teasing way. Often used when someone isn't being serious.

He dallies with her affections instead of making an honest proposal.

damascus noun

A biblical reference to the place where Cain murdered his brother Abel. Shakespeare uses it as shorthand for a site of fraternal betrayal or murder.

Like Cain killing Abel at Damascus, brother turns against brother.

damask noun, adjective

A pale red or pink color, often with white mixed in—like the petals of a damask rose. Can describe something solid in that hue, or something striped or blended with white.

Her cheek showed a damask blush where the white of her skin met the rose-red of her shame.

damask'd adjective

Having the pale pink or rosy colour of a damask rose. Shakespeare uses it to describe skin or complexion with that delicate, blushing tone.

Her damask'd cheeks showed her embarrassment.

dame noun

A woman in charge of a household, or a title of respect for a woman of rank. Shakespeare uses it for wives, mothers, and any woman deserving formal address.

Both dame and servant answered the call.

damnation noun

A curse or insult hurled at someone. Shakespeare's characters use it as a way to express contempt or rage, often with theatrical anger rather than literal condemnation to hell.

"Damnation on you!" — a hot outburst, not a theological statement.

damp noun

A wet, heavy fog or mist. In Shakespeare's day, people believed bad air rising from the ground carried disease and decay.

The graveyard was thick with damp that ruined the morning air.

dan noun

A title of respect for a man, like 'sir' or 'master'. In Shakespeare's time, it could mark someone of rank or learning.

Dan Chaucer — the great poet — deserved honour.

dance verb

To remain unmarried while a younger sister marries. An old superstition held that an elder sister would have to dance barefoot at the younger one's wedding if she hadn't found a husband first.

dancing horse noun

Morocco, a famous performing horse in Shakespeare's time. Banks, his keeper, trained him to do tricks and dance—the horse was so celebrated that playwrights joked about him in their plays.

If a horse could act, it might rival the players—like Morocco did.

dancing-rapier noun

A decorative sword worn during formal dances or celebrations, not meant for fighting. It was more about looking good than being useful.

He wore his dancing-rapier to the ball, all polish and no edge.

danger noun

Power to harm someone, or the reach of that power. To be "in someone's danger" meant to be within their power to hurt you—at their mercy.

If you're in the king's danger, you'd better watch yourself.

dangerous adjective

Likely to cause harm or bring trouble. Someone or something that poses a real threat.

A dangerous storm was coming across the sea.

dankish adjective

Damp and a bit clammy. The kind of air that feels wet on your skin.

The dungeon was dankish, with moisture running down the stone walls.

dansker noun

A person from Denmark. Shakespeare uses the Danish form of the word itself.

daphne noun

In Greek myth, a nymph who fled the god Apollo's advances and was transformed into a laurel tree. Shakespeare uses her name as a reference to beauty pursued, or to the laurel itself as a symbol of honor and poetry.

dardan, dardanian adjective

Trojan—relating to Troy or its people. Shakespeare uses it as a poetic name for anything connected to that ancient city and the Trojan War.

A Dardanian hero—someone from Troy, fighting in that legendary war.

dare verb

To be bold enough to do something; to venture or have the courage to act. Also, to challenge or defy someone directly.

I dare speak what others are too afraid to say.

dareful adjective

Bold and defiant. Someone who dares to challenge authority or speak back.

A dareful servant who talks back to the master.

daring adjective

Bold and adventurous; willing to take risks or face danger. Often paired with 'hardy' to mean tough and fearless.

A daring warrior will charge into battle where others hold back.

dark adjective

Evil or wicked. Also: gloomy, shadowy, hard to see, or kept secret. Shakespeare uses it for a dark room as a place to lock up someone disturbed.

A dark deed done in secret.

darken verb

To overshadow or diminish someone's reputation or glory. When one person's achievement darkens another's, it makes theirs look less impressive by comparison.

A victory that darkens a rival's past accomplishments.

darking verb

To cover up or hide something, as if casting it into shadow. In Shakespeare's time, it often means to eclipse or obscure.

The clouds are darking the sun.

darkling adjective

In darkness or dim light. Often used to describe moving or acting when you can't see clearly, or being in a place without light.

They walked darkling through the forest, unable to find their way.

darkly adverb

In a secret or hidden way. Also: in a gloomy or threatening manner, as if something bad is brewing.

She spoke darkly about what might happen if he didn't return.

darkness noun

Death, or the state of being dead. Shakespeare draws on biblical language that linked darkness with the end of life.

He feared the darkness that awaited him.

darnel noun

A weed grass that grows in grain fields and was believed to harm eyesight. It was considered a pest to farmers because it spread among crops and reduced yields.

The farmer cursed the darnel choking his wheat.

darraign verb

To arrange or line up in order, especially troops for battle. To get things ready and in their proper places.

The general will darraign his forces before the enemy arrives.

darting verb

Shooting arrows or projectiles, often rapidly and in succession. The image comes from Parthian warriors, who would wheel their horses around and fire arrows backward at pursuers as they retreated.

dash noun, verb

As a noun: a small mark or stroke, like a pen stroke or a dab of color. As a verb: to destroy someone's hopes or courage, to shake their confidence. Shakespeare uses it to mean sudden ruin or discouragement.

His ambitions were dashed when the king refused him.

date noun

The length of time someone or something lasts; the span of a life or thing. Also used to mean the end or limit of that time—when it runs out.

Our dates are brief (our lives don't last long).

date-broke adjective

Overdue or broken. A debt or promise that was supposed to be paid or kept by a certain date, but wasn't.

The king faced angry creditors demanding payment on date-broke loans.

dateless adjective

Without end or limit. Something that goes on forever, or has no fixed boundary.

A dateless love that will never fade or diminish.

daub verb

To smear or coat something with a layer of false appearance. Often means to hide something bad under a veneer of respectability—to pretend, to disguise.

He daubed his cruelty with kind words.

daubery noun

A false or superficial display. A sham made to deceive.

His fine words were mere daubery—beneath the surface lay only greed.

daughter noun

A female child. In Shakespeare's time, this word was pronounced to rhyme with 'after'—not like the modern 'daw-ter' sound.

dauphin noun

The title for the heir to the French throne. Shakespeare's time used this spelling, though it comes from an old word for dolphin—the name stuck because of a historical family crest.

The young Dauphin of France claims his right to the English crown.

daw noun

Foolishness or stupidity. A daw is a jackdaw—a bird known for being chatty and silly—so the word became a way to call someone dimwitted.

He's proven himself a daw more than once.

dawning noun

The break of day; early morning when light first appears. Shakespeare often calls the rooster the 'bird of dawning' because it crows at sunrise.

The rooster's cry marked the dawning, and they had to leave before first light.

day noun

A period of daylight or a calendar day. Often used to mark time, ask the hour, or refer to a day of battle and its outcome (victory or defeat).

Open as day — meaning clear and visible as daylight itself.

day-bed noun

A sofa or couch, often associated with idle lounging. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to suggest laziness or self-indulgence.

He spends his mornings stretched out on the day-bed instead of doing anything useful.

day-woman noun

A woman who works in a dairy, making and selling butter and cheese. The word is sometimes spelled or heard as 'day-woman,' which can cause confusion.

days noun

periods of 24 hours; time measured in succession; also used in phrases like 'now-a-days' (in modern times) or 'school-days' (school years, period of youth)

Now, fair Hippolyta, our wedding day Draws near; four happy days will bring in Another moon: but, oh, I think, how slowly This old moon fades away! she drags on my desires, Like a stepmother or an old widow Slowly draining a young man's inheritance.

dazzle verb

To overwhelm someone's eyes with bright light so they can't see clearly. Your vision blurs and you lose focus.

Staring at the sun dazzles you into blindness.

de'monstrable adjective

Obvious and plain to see. Something you can point to and say, 'There it is.'

The king's anger was demonstrable—his face turned red and he threw his crown.

dead adjective

No longer alive. Also used to mean deathly pale, or (of a time or place) dark and dreary, drained of life or activity.

My wife is dead to-night.

dead men's fingers noun

A type of wild orchid with purple flowers. The name comes from the shape of its roots, which look like fingers.

The dead men's fingers bloomed in the meadow each spring.

dead-killing adjective

Deadly or fatal. Something that can kill you.

A dead-killing wound — one you won't recover from.

deadly adjective, adverb

As an adjective: pale, cold, or lifeless in appearance—like death itself. As an adverb: in a way that kills or wounds fatally, or with intensity that feels fatal.

A deadly pale face; wounded deadly in the fight.

deadly-handed adjective

Skilled at killing; capable of dealing death. A description of someone or something genuinely dangerous in combat or violence.

A deadly-handed warrior who strikes without hesitation.

deadly-standing adjective

Staring with an intense, unblinking gaze—as if frozen by shock or rage. The look itself feels dangerous, even fatal.

His deadly-standing eyes never left her face as she turned to leave.

deal noun, verb

As a noun: not at all, not in the slightest. As a verb: to act or take action on something. Often paired with prepositions — "deal in" means to be involved with or work in; "deal upon" means to act against or proceed with.

dealing noun

Honest, straightforward speech or behavior. When someone speaks or acts in plain dealing, they're being direct and truthful without pretense.

In plain dealing, I must tell you: I think your plan will fail.

dear adjective

Precious or valuable—something you hold in high regard. Also means heartfelt and earnest, or (less often) hard and grievous, like a cruel blow.

Your worth is very dear to me.

dear'd verb

Treasured or held as precious. A past-tense form meaning someone or something was cherished.

The gift was dear'd by all who received it.

dearly adverb

With deep feeling or intensity. Shakespeare uses it to mean heartily, warmly, or with keen emotion—how much you truly care about something or someone.

He was dearly welcomed means he was received with genuine warmth and affection.

dearness noun

Deep affection or fondness for someone. The warmth you feel toward a person you love.

He spoke of his mother with such dearness that all in the room grew quiet.

dearth noun

High cost or expense. Something that comes at a steep price.

The dearth of silk made it a fabric only nobles could afford.

death noun

The end of life; cessation of living, or the state of being dead.

Which will either be to this gentleman Or to her death, according to our law Already in place for such cases.

death-mark'd adjective

Destined to die. Doomed from the start.

The lovers were death-mark'd—tragedy was written into their story.

death-practis'd adjective

Someone whose death has been plotted or planned by others. A person marked for killing.

death-token noun

A dark spot or mark on the skin that signals the plague has taken hold and death is near. In Shakespeare's time, these marks were a medical death sentence.

The physician saw the death-token on the patient's neck and shook his head.

deathful adjective

Deadly or causing death. Can also mean resembling death itself—pale, still, or lifeless in appearance.

A deathful wound would kill you outright.

deathsman noun

A person whose job is to carry out death sentences. An executioner.

The deathsman sharpened his axe before the condemned prisoner arrived.

debase verb

To lower someone's dignity or worth. To treat someone as though they're less valuable or honourable than they are.

He felt debased by having to beg for money.

debate noun, verb

A fight or quarrel. As a verb, to fight or struggle against something—though Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean 'discuss' or 'argue out.' When nature and sickness debate it, they're locked in combat over the body.

The two forces debate for control of his health.

debatement noun

The act of thinking something through carefully. A weighing of options before deciding.

After much debatement, she chose to stay.

debater noun

Someone who argues or disputes. In Shakespeare's time, often someone trained in formal debate or rhetoric.

debile adjective

Weak or feeble in body or spirit. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone physically frail or powerless.

A debile prisoner, hardly able to stand.

debitor noun

A written record of money owed and money loaned. In Shakespeare's time, merchants and household managers kept debitor-and-creditor accounts side by side to track who owed them and whom they owed.

debonair adjective

Mild and courteous in manner. Graceful and pleasant to be around.

A debonair gentleman bowed and offered his hand to help her rise.

deboshed adjective

Corrupted or depraved—morally degraded. Also used to mean slandered or shamed in reputation.

debted adjective

Owing money or a favour to someone. You're debted when you owe a debt and haven't yet paid it back.

I am debted to you for saving my life.

decay noun

Downfall or ruin. In Shakespeare's time, the word often means the cause of someone's destruction—what brings them low. It can also describe the ruined state itself.

My love was my decay—it destroyed me.

deceas'd adjective

Gone by; in the past. Times deceas'd means times that have already passed.

deceivable adjective

Likely to deceive or trick others. Someone or something that tends to mislead.

A deceivable merchant might sell you cloth of poor quality for the price of silk.

deceive verb

To cheat or trick someone out of something they're owed or expected to have. In Shakespeare, often means to betray someone's trust.

He deceived her of her inheritance by forging documents.

deceptious adjective

Misleading or false. Something that tricks you into believing what isn't true.

As if the body's senses could fool us into wrong conclusions.

decimation noun

A punishment where every tenth soldier in a group is chosen by lot and executed. It was used in Roman armies to punish mutiny or cowardice.

The general ordered decimation of the regiment after their shameful retreat.

decipher verb

To reveal or expose someone for what they truly are. In Shakespeare's time, it meant to unmask a person's hidden nature or crimes.

The letter deciphered him as a traitor.

deck noun

A pack of playing cards. An older or regional word, but Shakespeare might have used it this way.

declension noun

A slide downward — losing quality, strength, or reputation. The fall from something good to something worse.

decline verb

To bend or lean downward, literally or figuratively. In grammar, to inflect a word through its different forms. More broadly, to fall or sink in strength or worth.

He stood with declining head, ashamed to meet her eyes.

declined adjective

Fallen into ruin or weakness. Often used of fortune or health — something that was strong is now broken down.

A king declined in power, stripped of his throne and lands.

decoct verb

To heat something up, especially a liquid or potion. In Shakespeare's time, this word often appeared in discussions of medicines or alchemical mixtures being prepared over heat.

The witch decocts her brew over the fire.

dedicate adjective

Completely devoted or committed to something. When someone is dedicate to a purpose, their mind is fixed on it and nothing else matters.

A soldier whose mind is dedicate to war thinks of nothing but victory.

dedicated adjective

Set apart or consecrated for a particular purpose or person. In Shakespeare's time, often used for a formal statement or offering made to honor someone.

deed noun

An action or thing done—especially something that proves or reveals what you really mean or feel. When someone says 'my deed of love,' they mean the real thing they do, not just words.

deed-achieving adjective

Won or earned through brave action. The opposite of something passive or forgotten—this is about proving yourself by what you do.

deedless adjective

Not doing anything. Sitting idle instead of taking action.

A deedless king lets his kingdom fall apart while enemies gather.

deem verb

To think or believe something. Shakespeare uses it to show a character's judgment or opinion about someone or something.

She deemed him wicked—but was she right?

deep- prefix

A combining form that intensifies the word it's attached to. It means deeply, profoundly, or from the very depths—suggesting something felt or done with complete seriousness and gravity.

A 'deep-wounded' heart is one shattered to its core.

deep-mouth'd adjective

Loud and rich in sound, with a full bass tone. The kind of voice or instrument that booms and fills a room.

A deep-mouth'd cannon rattles the castle walls.

deeply adverb

With intensity and seriousness. In Shakespeare, it modifies feelings (deeply in love), actions (speak deeply), or oaths (swear deeply). The word carries weight—it signals something profoundly felt or thoroughly meant.

She loved him deeply, not in passing.

deer noun

Animal or beast. The word originally meant any creature, though by Shakespeare's time it was narrowing toward the hunted animal we think of today.

Mice and rats and such small deer—creatures worth hunting or eating.

deface verb

To destroy or wipe out something written or marked. In Shakespeare, often used for cancelling a legal document or obligation—erasing it so it no longer exists or has power.

Tear up the contract and deface it so the debt is gone.

defam'd adjective

Ruined in reputation. Someone or something defam'd has had their good name destroyed, usually through accusation or slander.

A defam'd soldier struggles to restore his honour after false charges.

defame noun

A damaged reputation; shame or disgrace. To be defamed is to have your name dragged through mud, to be publicly shamed or slandered.

He feared defame more than death itself.

default noun

A fault or failing. In Shakespeare's time, it meant something missing or lacking—a weakness that shows up when you need strength most.

defeat verb

To destroy or ruin something. In Shakespeare, it often means to undo or strip away—a joy can be defeated, or a person can be defeated of something valuable (like beauty or virtue).

Her beauty was defeated by age and sorrow.

defeature noun

A disfigurement or damage to the face or appearance. Something that spoils how a person looks.

A scar could be seen as a defeature, though some wear it as a mark of honor.

defect noun

A flaw or weakness. Something broken or incomplete that keeps a person or thing from being whole.

defence noun

Protection or the means to protect yourself—armor, weapons, or fighting skill. When Shakespeare says someone should 'put on their defences,' he means arm yourself for combat.

defend verb

To forbid or prevent something from happening. Often appears in wishes or prayers—'God defend!' means 'God forbid!' or 'May God prevent it!'

defendant noun

A person accused of a crime or sued in court. Someone who has to defend themselves against charges brought by another party.

The defendant stood trial for theft.

defensible adjective

Able to be defended or justified. You can argue for it, or hold it against attack.

The king's claim to the throne was defensible, though many lords disputed it.

defer verb

To waste or squander time. An old-fashioned use, mostly gone from modern English.

Don't defer the afternoon in idle gossip when there's work to be done.

defiance noun

A bold rejection or refusal, often spoken as a challenge or insult. In Shakespeare, it can mean actively spurning someone or daring them to fight.

Take my defiance—I want nothing to do with you.

deficient adjective

Weak or failing. Used especially of the senses—eyesight that dims or falters, or hearing that's no longer sharp.

Eyes grown deficient with age could barely read the letter.

defile verb

To make something dirty or stain it. Shakespeare plays on the word 'pitch' (the dark substance) to suggest both literal darkening and moral corruption.

The mud defiles your fine white cloak.

definement noun

A description or account of something. How you'd explain or lay out what a person or thing is like.

The letter gave a full definement of the suspect's appearance.

definite adjective

Firm and decided. Someone who is definite knows their own mind and won't be swayed.

He gave a definite answer—no wavering, no maybes.

deformed adjective

Ugly or disfigured in appearance. Also used to describe something twisted or ruined by time's passage.

A face made deformed by age and sorrow.

defunct adjective

Dead, or no longer active. In Shakespeare, often used to mean something that has ended or been set aside.

In my defunct and proper satisfaction—meaning, once my rightful claims are settled and done.

defunction verb

To die. A formal or poetic way of saying someone has passed away.

defunctive adjective

Related to a funeral or the rituals around death. In Shakespeare's time, this word carried the weight of burial rites and mourning.

The defunctive rites were observed with solemnity.

defy verb

To challenge someone openly, or to refuse to accept something. You defy a person by confronting them boldly; you defy an idea by rejecting it outright.

"We defy augury"—we refuse to accept what fate seems to promise.

deign verb

To lower yourself enough to do something you think is beneath you. It carries a tone of reluctant graciousness—you're doing it, but you want everyone to know it costs you.

She deigned to speak to the servants only when absolutely necessary.

deject adjective

Sad, discouraged, or knocked down by bad news or failure. Your spirits are low and it shows.

After losing the battle, the soldiers looked deject and worn.

dejected adjective

Brought low by fate or circumstance. Humbled, cast down, stripped of dignity or power.

delated adjective

Told or reported. Carried from one place or person to another, the way news or a message gets passed along.

delation noun

An accusation or claim that someone has done wrong. In Shakespeare's time, a formal charge brought against a person.

delicate adjective

Refined and lovely to experience—either something precious and rare, or something made with skilled care and grace. Often describes things that are soft, tender, or require gentleness to handle.

A delicate perfume filled the room, so finely crafted you had to lean close to catch it.

delight noun

Something that brings joy or pleasure. It can mean the feeling itself or the thing that causes it.

Sweets lose their delight when you eat them every day.

delighted adjective

Delightful or full of delight. Shakespeare uses it to mean something that brings joy or pleasure, often with a sense of being charming or wonderful.

The longer you wait for the gift, the more delightful it becomes.

deliver verb

To give, hand over, or communicate something. In Shakespeare, often means to speak or express aloud, or to bring forth (as in childbirth). The sense shifts from the physical act of handing something to someone, to the idea of presenting words or ideas to an audience.

The actor must deliver his lines with clarity so the whole theater hears him.

deliverance noun

The way someone speaks or delivers words—their tone, clarity, and rhythm. It can also mean the act of giving birth.

The actor's deliverance of each line made the meaning crystal clear.

delivery noun

The way someone tells a story or gives an account of something. How the words come out—with what tone, pace, and manner.

The messenger's delivery of the bad news was so calm that at first nobody understood how serious it was.

delphos noun

Delphi, the ancient Greek sanctuary where Apollo's oracle gave prophecies. Shakespeare uses it as shorthand for divine wisdom or prophecy itself.

The oracle spoke from Delphos with riddles only the gods could untangle.

demand verb

To ask a question or request information. Not a command or urgent insistence—just asking for something you want to know.

He demanded what had happened at court that morning.

demean verb

To behave or conduct yourself in a particular way. You're showing how you act or carry yourself in the world.

He demeaned himself roughly—acted tough and uncouth.

demerit noun

What someone deserves, good or bad—usually the bad part. Often used in the plural to mean faults or sins that bring punishment.

Not for their own demerits, but for mine, the slaughter fell on their souls.

demesne noun

A person's lands or estates — the property they own and control. In Shakespeare's time, this often meant the holdings of a noble or wealthy person.

The king's demesne stretched across three counties.

demi- prefix

Half of something, often with a hint of mockery or dismissal. Shakespeare uses it to suggest something that's only partly what it claims to be — a demi-god is godlike but not truly divine, a demi-paradise looks heavenly but falls short.

A demi-devil might look human but lack a human heart.

demise verb

To pass something on to another person, usually by legal transfer or in a will. Shakespeare uses it for handing down property, titles, or authority.

The king will demise his crown to his eldest son.

demon noun

A spirit that attends and influences a person—sometimes a guide or helper, sometimes a malevolent force. Shakespeare uses it for any powerful invisible being that shapes your nature or fate.

Your demon is the invisible part of you that drives what you do.

demonstrate verb

To show or prove something clearly. In Shakespeare, often means to display or reveal openly.

His tears demonstrate his genuine grief.

demure adjective

Quiet, serious, and composed—the opposite of flashy or loud. Someone demure keeps their feelings and opinions to themselves, at least on the surface.

She spoke in a demure voice, never raising her eyes from her lap.

demurely adverb

In a quiet, calm, and serious way. Moving or speaking without fuss or loud emotion.

She demurely bowed her head and waited for his next word.

denay noun

A refusal or rejection. When someone says no to something — that's a denay.

denier noun

A tiny French coin—so small it became a byword for something worthless. Shakespeare uses it to mean the smallest possible amount of value.

I'd trade my whole kingdom for a denier—that's how little it means to me.

denote verb

To mean or stand for something. To point out or indicate what something is.

The red mark denotes where the actor should stand.

denotement noun

A sign or marker of something. A visible token that points to or reveals what's inside.

denounce verb

To declare or announce something openly, often with force or authority. In Shakespeare, it often means to proclaim a threat or declare war.

The general denounced war against the enemy kingdom.

denunciation noun

A formal public statement accusing someone of wrongdoing. It's a deliberate, official declaration—not just gossip or complaint, but something said on record.

The king issued a denunciation of the traitor, naming him before the whole court.

deny verb

To say no; to refuse. It can mean refusing to do something, refusing to let someone do something, or refusing to let someone in.

If she deny to wed — she's saying no to marriage.

depart verb

To leave or go away from a place or person. Shakespeare also uses it to mean giving something up or parting with it, as in 'depart with a gift.' In modern English, the phrase 'depart this life' survives as a formal way to say someone has died.

Before we depart, let's settle what comes next.

departing noun

The act of parting or splitting away from someone or something. In Shakespeare, often used for death as a final separation from life.

Life and death pulling apart from each other.

depend verb

To hang on or lean against something physically. Also to rely on someone, to be in their power, or to wait in uncertainty for what comes next.

The weight of the kingdom depends on the king's next choice.

dependancy, -ency noun

The state of relying on someone or something else. You need them to survive or get by.

A young prince's dependancy on his advisors shapes his first years of rule.

dependant adjective

About to happen; hanging over you like a storm about to break. Something that feels imminent and inescapable.

A dependant threat kept the court on edge.

deplore verb

To speak about something with deep sorrow or regret. To lament or express grief over a loss or misfortune.

She deplores the death of her beloved husband in nearly every scene.

deploring adjective

Full of sadness or grief. Someone who is deploring looks and sounds sorrowful—they're genuinely upset, not just making a complaint.

She stood at his tomb, deploring, with tears streaming down her face.

depose verb

To remove someone from power or strip them of something they have. In legal settings, it also means to question someone under oath.

You can take away my honor and my rank.

depositary noun

Someone you trust to hold or look after something for you. The person isn't the owner — they're just keeping it safe until you want it back.

A bank acts as a depositary for your money.

depravation noun

Harsh criticism or bad-mouthing someone's reputation. It's the act of speaking badly of a person to damage how others see them.

deprave verb

To speak badly of someone; to damage their reputation by spreading insults or lies about them.

depress'd adjective

Pushed down or knocked down, either physically or in spirit. To be humbled, weakened, or made to feel small.

His depress'd mood after the battle showed how hard the defeat had hit him.

deprive verb

To take something away from someone. Strip them of a possession, right, or quality they had.

The tyrant deprived the people of their lands.

deputation noun

The role or authority given to someone to act on behalf of another person. In Shakespeare's time, a deputy held real power to make decisions and speak for their superior.

depute verb

To assign someone to act on your behalf or in your place. You give them the power to do what you would do.

The king deputes his trusted general to command the troops while he stays at court.

deputed noun

A sword given as a symbol of authority or rank. When someone was appointed to an important position, they'd often receive a special sword to show they now held power.

deputy noun

A person appointed to act on behalf of someone else—especially a government official or council member who steps in when the senior person is away or unavailable.

deracinate verb

To tear something out by the roots. Often used figuratively for tearing someone away from their home, family, or the life they know.

War deracinated thousands from their villages.

derision noun

Mockery or scorn — making fun of someone to hurt or belittle them. In Shakespeare's time, derision could be cruel and public.

He faced the crowd's derision when his plan failed.

deriv'd adjective

Comes from a particular family or ancestor. Shakespeare uses it to talk about someone's bloodline or where they got their status.

A king derived from noble stock.

derive verb

To get or obtain something, often by tracing where it comes from. Can mean to inherit or pass down through a line of descent, or to trace the origin of something.

This shame derives itself from unknown loins — it is inherited, not earned.

dern adjective

Dark, wild, or dreary. Often used to describe a gloomy or desolate time or place.

that dern time — a bleak, harsh stretch of days

derogate verb

To lower yourself or damage your reputation by doing something beneath your dignity. To act in a way that diminishes your standing or honour.

A king who derogate by begging would lose the respect of his court.

derogately adverb

In a way that puts someone or something down. Speaking or acting with disrespect or contempt.

He spoke derogately of her family's origins.

derogation noun

An insult or put-down. To speak badly of someone or something, or to damage their reputation.

He took her criticism as a derogation of his honour.

descant noun

A melody sung over a steady bass line or tune. In Shakespeare's time, musicians would improvise these upper melodies live. The word also means a commentary or remark you layer on top of someone else's point—like adding your own tune to theirs.

A harsh descant over a gentle song ruins the harmony.

descend verb

To fall or hang down. Hair descends when it falls loose from where it was pinned or bound.

Her hair descended when she removed the pins.

descending noun

Your family line or ancestry—who your relatives are going back in time. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean the act of passing something down through generations.

A noble descending means you inherit your family's rank and reputation.

descension noun

A downward movement or fall. In Shakespeare's time, the word could also mean a decline or deterioration.

The descension from the castle ramparts was steep and treacherous.

descent noun

A line of inheritance passed down through generations. In Shakespeare, it often means the steps or stages by which property or a title moves from parent to child.

From son to son, some four or five descents — meaning the title passed through five generations.

description noun

A type or kind of person or thing. Shakespeare uses it to mean something like "of this sort" or "this category."

A man of that description would never show his face in court.

descry verb

To spot something or someone in the distance. Shakespeare uses it for catching sight of a ship on the horizon, a figure approaching across fields, or an army gathering far off.

A lookout descries sails on the water.

desert noun

What someone deserves or has earned — whether reward or punishment. Often used in the phrase "without desert," meaning undeservedly or without good reason.

He was punished without desert, though he'd done nothing wrong.

deserved adjective

Worthy of respect or reward because of good character or actions. Someone who has earned what they receive.

A deserved honor went to the general who won the battle.

deserving noun

What you've earned or ought to get—good or bad. Either the reward or punishment you merit, or the quality or deed that makes you worthy of it.

He faced death, saying it was his deserving.

design noun

A plan or intention—what someone means to do or accomplish. It can be a specific project or enterprise, or simply the aim behind an action.

He came unprepared for this design—he didn't know what they had planned.

designment noun

A plan or project someone has set in motion. When a designment halts, the work stops or falls apart.

Their designment halts — the scheme collapses.

desire verb

To ask someone for something. In Shakespeare, it often means to request or invite someone to do something, or to ask for their company or attention.

I desire you more acquaintance — I'm asking to know you better.

desired adjective

Wanted or loved. Someone or something that people wish for or care deeply about.

She was the most desired woman in the kingdom.

despair verb

To lose all hope. To give up on something completely, assuming it's impossible.

Don't despair — there's still time to save the plan.

desperate adjective

Reckless and careless, having thrown off all concern for what might happen. In Shakespeare, often paired with what you've stopped caring about—shame, your reputation, your life.

A soldier so desperate of death he charges straight into enemy swords.

desperately adverb

In a state of despair or hopelessness. Acting or speaking as though all is lost.

desperation noun

A state of hopelessness so complete that you're willing to harm yourself to escape it. Desperation makes people reckless.

In her desperation, she had nowhere left to turn but toward danger.

despised adjective

Worthy of contempt; hateful and repellent. Shakespeare often uses it to describe a person or action so vile that others naturally reject it.

a despised traitor cast out by the kingdom

despite noun

Malice or contempt shown deliberately to hurt or insult someone. Often used in the phrase "in despite of" meaning to act against someone's wishes out of spite.

He finished the job in despite of her objections—purely to wound her.

despiteful adjective

Cruel and malicious. Used to describe a person's actions or words meant to hurt, or sometimes the things themselves—like a despiteful remark aimed at wounding someone.

A despiteful comment, designed purely to sting.

destinies noun

The three goddesses who in ancient myth controlled human fate. They spin the thread of each life, measure it, and cut it when the time comes.

The destinies weave what will happen; mortals can only live it.

destitute adjective

Left alone and without help. Abandoned by those who should have stayed.

The widow stands destitute after her husband's death and his brothers refuse to aid her.

detain verb

To hold back or keep from someone. You withhold something that belongs to them or that they need.

If I detain your money, you'll think me dishonest.

detect verb

To uncover or expose someone, especially when they've done something wrong. To reveal what was hidden.

The guard detected the thief sneaking through the castle at midnight.

detection noun

The act of being caught or exposed. When someone's wrongdoing or secret comes to light.

He feared detection of his treachery would bring the king's wrath.

detention noun

The act of holding something back or keeping it from someone. In Shakespeare, often money or payment that's owed but being withheld.

determinate adjective

Fixed and final. Something determinate has clear boundaries and won't change—it's settled, done, or decided.

A determinate sentence has a fixed end date, not a vague one.

determination noun

A firm decision or resolve to do something. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean the end or conclusion of something, or a legal judgment that settles a case.

determine verb

To bring something to an end or settle it finally. In Shakespeare, it often means to finish a period of time or resolve a question.

Sickness has determined my life—it's ending me.

detested adjective

Hateful or disgusting. Something so bad you want nothing to do with it.

A detested rival; a detested lie.

deucalion noun

In Greek mythology, the man who survived a great flood sent by the gods—like Noah in the Bible. Shakespeare uses him as a type for anyone who escapes a catastrophe.

deuce-ace noun

A roll of two and one on a pair of dice—the lowest possible throw. Gamblers hated it because it meant losing money.

He cursed his luck when the deuce-ace came up again.

devest verb

To take off or remove clothing. An older spelling of divest, used when Shakespeare wanted to describe someone undressing or stripping away something they were wearing.

He devest himself of his heavy cloak before entering the warm hall.

device noun

A plan or scheme, often clever or cunning. It can also mean the design or shape of something physical—like how a piece of armor or jewelry is made—or a symbolic figure used as a heraldic emblem.

She came up with a device to win his heart.

devil-porter noun

A porter who guards the gates of hell — a role someone plays when they're acting wild, crude, or hellish. Shakespeare uses it as an insult or a way to describe someone behaving like a devilish gatekeeper.

devil, noun

The supreme evil spirit in Christian belief. Shakespeare's actors sometimes pronounced it as one syllable ("devil") and sometimes two ("dev-il"), depending on the rhythm needed.

The devil tempts us with promises we want to hear.

devise verb

To think something up or plan it out. Shakespeare uses it for deciding on a course of action or coming up with an idea.

What plan do you devise for the battle?

devote adjective

Completely committed to someone or something; unable or unwilling to stop thinking about it. If you're devoted to a cause, you've given yourself over to it entirely.

A devoted lover will follow his beloved anywhere.

devoted adjective

Set apart for sacred or holy purposes. Blessed or dedicated to God.

The devoted shrine held relics of the saint.

devotement noun

Deep loyalty or reverence given to someone or something. In Shakespeare, it often means the kind of single-minded love or allegiance a worshipper gives to a god.

Her devotement to him was absolute—she would follow him anywhere.

devotion noun

Sincere religious faith or commitment to something sacred. In Shakespeare, it often means the genuine belief or spiritual purpose that drives someone's actions.

She showed the same devotion to her prayers as the monks in the monastery.

devour verb

To consume or destroy something rapidly or completely, often used figuratively. When someone devours their reason, they're making themselves unable to think straight—swallowing up their own good sense.

Anger devours his reason, leaving him unable to see the truth.

devour'd verb

Consumed or swallowed up completely. Often used when emotion or circumstance overwhelms someone entirely.

Grief has devour'd all his hope.

devout adjective

Deeply committed to faith or a cause, with genuine feeling behind it. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant someone was truly pious or serious about their religious beliefs.

A devout prayer spoken with real conviction, not just words.

dew noun

Tears, or any liquid that falls gently like morning dew. Shakespeare uses it for things that come softly and glisten—flattery, sleep, sorrow.

Her cheeks were wet with dew—the dew of grief.

dew-lapp'd adjective

Having loose, saggy skin hanging from the throat or neck. The word comes from cattle with drooping flesh at the neck and chin.

An old, dew-lapp'd hound — slack jowls dragging down.

dewberry noun

A small dark berry that grows on brambles, similar to a blackberry. Shakespeare's time had several wild berries with overlapping names, and dewberry could refer to different fruit depending on region.

dewlap noun

A woman's breast. The word plays on the image of loose or sagging skin, like the fold of skin hanging under an animal's jaw.

dexter adjective

On the right side. In heraldry and formal description, it means the right-hand side from the viewer's perspective.

The dexter side of the shield bore the family's coat of arms.

dexteriously adverb

With skill and ease; nimbly or cleverly. An older spelling of what we now write as 'dexterously'.

He dexteriously picked the lock and slipped inside.

di faciant laudis summa sit ista tuae interjection

An invocation to the gods, asking them to grant something. Shakespeare uses it to call on divine help or blessing for what's about to happen.

diable noun

The devil. Shakespeare uses this French word, sometimes in oaths or exclamations.

diablo noun

The Spanish word for devil. Shakespeare uses it as an exclamation or curse, borrowing from Spanish when his English characters want to sound foreign or emphatic.

A Spanish soldier might shout 'Diablo!' when angered or shocked.

dial noun

The face of a clock or watch — the round plate with numbers and hands that show you the time.

The clock's hand moves across the dial like time itself is walking.

dialogue verb

To have a conversation with someone. Shakespeare uses it to mean talking back and forth, or writing something as a back-and-forth exchange.

diameter noun

The width of something, measured straight across from one side to the other. In Shakespeare, often used to mean a vast distance or span.

Across the world's diameter—all the way from one end to the other.

dian's bud noun

A plant sacred to Diana, the goddess of the moon and chastity. Shakespeare's audience would have known it as an herb believed to preserve virginity.

A maiden wears Diana's bud to guard her virtue.

diapason noun

The deep, full bass notes that sound together with a melody, an octave lower. It's the rich foundation that makes a piece of music complete and resonant.

A singer's voice supported by the diapason of the organ beneath it.

diaper noun

A cloth napkin or towel. In Shakespeare's time, these were often decorated with a repeating diamond or geometric pattern.

She wiped her hands on a diaper before serving the meal.

dibble noun

A pointed tool for poking holes in soil when planting seeds or seedlings. Gardeners would use it to make small, neat openings in earth before pushing in a seed or plant.

The gardener used a dibble to mark out rows for the spring vegetables.

dich verb

A contraction meaning 'do it,' used in set phrases wishing someone well. You'll see it in expressions like 'much good may it do you' — here shortened to 'much good dich.'

dick noun

A common name used to mean any fellow or lad—like calling someone 'Jack' today. Often used casually or dismissively for an ordinary man whose real name you don't know or don't care about.

some Dick who grins and pretends wisdom beyond his years

dickens noun

A mild oath or exclamation—a stand-in for a stronger curse word. Shakespeare seems to have invented it, and it stuck around for centuries.

What the dickens are you doing here?

dictator noun

In ancient Rome, an official given total power to rule during a crisis or emergency. Shakespeare uses it straightforwardly—just the historical Roman title.

diction noun

The choice of words and way of speaking. In Shakespeare's time, some writers loved ornate, flowery language—that elaborate style was called diction.

dictynna noun

A name for Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt and the moon. Shakespeare uses it as a poetic way to invoke her.

dido noun

A legendary queen of Carthage, famous in classical stories for her tragic love affair with the wanderer Aeneas. Shakespeare's audience knew her as a symbol of passionate devotion and heartbreak.

When a lover compares their beloved to Dido, they're invoking a story of intense, all-consuming love.

didst verb

Past tense of 'do' used with the pronoun 'thou' (you, singular); expressed actions or deeds in the past.

Didn't you lead him through the dark night From Perigenia, whom he ravished?

die noun

A cube marked with dots, used in games of chance. Shakespeare often plays on the similarity between 'die' (the object) and 'die' (to perish), using dice as a metaphor for fate or risk.

He gambled everything on a single roll of the die.

died verb

passed away; ceased to live; came to death

Drew his dagger and died.

dies verb

Ceases to live; comes to an end; perishes.

Growing, living, and dying in a life of solitary purity.

diet noun

Food and drink, or the way someone eats day to day. Can mean a prescribed course of food for health, or more broadly, the nourishment and sustenance of life itself—physical or spiritual.

She kept a strict diet of plain bread and water.

dieter noun

Someone who controls what another person eats. In Shakespeare's time, this could be a doctor or household servant in charge of a patient's or master's meals.

dieu de batailles noun

French phrase meaning the god of war or battles. Shakespeare uses it as a poetic name for Mars, the Roman god of warfare.

A warrior might call upon the dieu de batailles before riding into combat.

difference noun

A disagreement or conflict between people. Also: a distinguishing feature or quality that sets something apart. In heraldry, a mark added to a family's coat of arms to show a younger branch.

The two lords were at difference over the throne's rightful heir.

differency noun

The way two things are not the same; a difference. Shakespeare uses this as a fancier version of the word we'd normally say.

The differency between a king and a pauper shows itself in their clothes and bearing.

difficult adjective

Hard to weigh or measure; heavy with significance or complexity. Shakespeare uses it this way only once, to describe something that carries real weight and defies easy judgment.

A decision full of poise and difficult weight — one that shapes everything after it.

diffidence noun

Distrust or suspicion of someone or something. In Shakespeare's time, it meant doubting others—not doubt in yourself, which came later.

diffuse verb

To pour out or shed. Also: to make something confused or hard to tell apart. Shakespeare uses it in both senses, though the first is quite rare.

diffused adjective

Scattered, messy, or spread out in a disorderly way. In Shakespeare's time, often used to describe something tangled or confused—clothes in disarray, or a disease that has spread through the body.

His diffused attire suggested he'd been in a struggle.

dig-you-den interjection

A shortened, playful oath—a way of swearing by God without saying the full word. It got used a lot in everyday speech, especially among lower-class characters.

A servant might blurt out 'Dig-you-den!' when startled or annoyed.

digest verb

To arrange or organize, especially a text or story into a clear structure. Also used figuratively to mean accept, tolerate, or absorb something—like the stomach absorbs food.

He digested the scenes of the play into a well-ordered whole.

digestion noun

The process of breaking down food in the stomach and body. Shakespeare's time thought cheese and fruit helped this process work well.

digress verb

To step away from the right path—either by straying from virtue or duty, or by breaking a rule or law. Shakespeare uses it for both moral and behavioral departures.

A son who digresses from his father's honor brings shame to the family.

digression noun

A wandering away from what is right or intended. In Shakespeare's time, it meant both a moral slip and a departure from your main point or purpose.

dilate verb

To tell or describe something at length, with detail. To speak or write expansively about a subject.

He dilates on his travels, recounting every step of the journey.

dilated adjective

Spread out, expanded, or stretched wide. Can mean physically spacious or, in speech and writing, drawn out at length.

dild interjection

A mild oath or exclamation—a shortened, softened form of "God yield" (meaning "God reward"). Used to express surprise, frustration, or emphasis without serious blasphemy.

dildo noun

A nonsense word that appears in the repeated choruses of songs and ballads. Shakespeare uses it as a placeholder or throwaway sound—the kind of thing singers would shout between verses.

diligence noun

Careful, attentive effort—the kind of hard work someone puts into serving faithfully. Sometimes it means speed or quick action, getting something done without delay.

She showed great diligence in her duties.

diligent adjective

Careful and attentive; willing to work hard and pay close attention to detail. Often used to describe someone who serves faithfully or listens closely.

A diligent ear catches what careless ears miss.

diluculo surgere phrase

To wake and get up early in the morning. This is a Latin phrase—Shakespeare's contemporaries believed it was good for your health.

dim adjective

Not bright or clear; faint or shadowy. Often used for things that are hard to see or understand, or that suggest gloom and mystery.

dimension noun

The size and shape of a body, or how its parts fit together. Shakespeare uses it to mean a person's physical frame or build.

My dimensions are as well put together as anyone's.

diminish verb

To damage or weaken something. To make it less strong or effective than it was.

If new growth is weakened even a little, the whole plant suffers.

diminutive noun

Something very small, or a tiny version of something. Shakespeare often used it to describe delicate or insignificant things in nature.

dint noun

Force or power—the strength something has to make an impact. Often used in the phrase 'by dint of' to mean 'through the force or effort of.'

By dint of hard work, she won the day.

dire adjective

Extremely frightening or dreadful. When Shakespeare calls something dire, he means it's the kind of thing that fills you with real terror.

The witches speak of dire events to come.

direct verb

To address words to someone—to speak to them, write to them, or send a message their way. Also means to give someone an order or instruction.

Direct your complaint to the manager.

direction noun

The ability to lead, guide, or manage something. In Shakespeare's time, it meant having the skill or authority to steer a course of action.

A general needs direction to command an army well.

directitude noun

A made-up word that Shakespeare used for comic effect, probably meant to sound like "direction" or "directness" but botched on purpose. It's the kind of mistake a character makes to get a laugh.

directive adjective

Capable of being guided or controlled; responsive to direction. Something that can be pointed or steered toward a goal.

directly adverb

Straight toward something, or without going through anyone else. Can also mean plainly, without hiding what you mean.

He spoke directly to the queen, not through her advisors.

direness noun

A quality of extreme horror or dread. Something that fills you with fear because it's terrible or ominous.

The direness of the prophecy left him sleepless.

dirge noun

A song sung at a funeral or over the dead. It's a way of honoring someone who has died, usually sad and solemn.

The priests sang a dirge as they lowered the coffin into the ground.

dirty adjective

Used as a word of scorn or contempt—a way of expressing disgust at someone or something. Shakespeare uses it to shame or insult.

dis noun

The Roman god of the underworld and the dead. Shakespeare uses the name to refer to hell itself, or to invoke the underworld as a place of darkness and punishment.

The villain swears by Dis, calling down curses from below.

disallow verb

To refuse to approve something, or to reject it as wrong or unacceptable. When someone disallows an idea or action, they're saying no—they won't have it.

The king disallows the marriage his daughter has chosen.

disanimate verb

To drain someone of courage or hope. To make them lose heart.

Bad news before battle can disanimate even the bravest soldiers.

disappointed adjective

Not prepared or made ready. In Shakespeare's time, to appoint someone meant to equip or set them up for something — so disappointed meant caught without that preparation.

A soldier disappointed for battle — no armor, no weapon.

disaster noun

Bad luck or ruin. Shakespeare sometimes used the word in its original sense—a star in an unlucky position—but more often just meant misfortune or catastrophe.

disbench verb

To make someone stand up or leave their seat. Used figuratively to mean you've startled or upset someone.

I hope my words didn't upset you.

disbranch verb

To break apart or tear away, usually as a figure of speech. Think of snapping a branch from a tree—but applied to relationships, loyalties, or connections between people.

A parent disbranches a child by disowning them.

discandy verb

To melt or dissolve. Something that was solid breaks down into liquid or soft matter.

Love can discandy even the hardest heart.

discase verb

To undress someone, or to strip away a disguise and reveal the truth. It means to expose what's hidden underneath.

discerner noun

Someone who has the eye and judgment to see what others miss. A person who can tell the difference between good and bad, true and false.

A discerner of fine art knows a masterpiece from a copy at a glance.

discernings noun

The ability to think clearly and make good judgments. When someone's discernings are dulled or weakened, they struggle to see things plainly.

His discernings were numbed by grief, so he couldn't decide what to do.

discharge verb

To let go or release. Could mean firing a weapon, freeing someone from a duty or obligation, paying off a debt, or carrying out a task.

discipline noun

Teaching and training, especially in military skills or moral conduct. Shakespeare uses it for the instruction that shapes a person's character or prepares them for battle.

A soldier's discipline came from years of drilling and obeying orders.

disclaim verb

To publicly reject, deny, or refuse to accept something — often a claim, a relation, or a right. When you disclaim something, you're saying you have no part in it and want nothing to do with it.

I have disclaimed Sir Robert — he is no brother of mine.

disclaiming noun

A refusal to accept or own something—a denial of responsibility or connection. It's saying "that's not mine" or "I had nothing to do with it."

His disclaiming of the crime fooled no one.

disclose verb

To reveal or lay bare. In Shakespeare, often used of things unfolding naturally—buds opening, secrets coming to light, hidden thoughts spilling out.

The truth will disclose itself in time.

discolour verb

To stain or tarnish someone's reputation or dignity. In Shakespeare, it often means to damage the honor or standing someone has built up.

Admitting fault might tarnish the appearance of my power.

discolour'd adjective

Pale or drained of color, especially from illness, fear, or exhaustion. The word suggests something that's lost its healthy glow.

His discolour'd face told us he'd been sick for weeks.

discomfit noun

A feeling of unease or defeat. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean the state of being thrown off balance, either in battle or in composure.

The bad news brought such discomfit that he couldn't speak.

discomfited verb

To upset or shake someone's confidence. When you're discomfited, you feel thrown off balance—not necessarily defeated, but rattled enough that your composure cracks.

Don't let a tough question discomfit you in an interview.

discomfiture noun

A complete defeat or crushing loss, especially in battle. When an army is routed and its soldiers scattered in panic.

The king's forces suffered such discomfiture that they fled the field in disorder.

discomfort noun

Sadness or sorrow that weighs on the mind. In Shakespeare's time, the word carried heavier emotional weight than modern 'discomfort' — it meant real distress, not just mild unease.

What do you mean by bringing them this sorrow?

discontent noun

A person who is dissatisfied and grumbles about things. Someone always unhappy with how things are.

The old soldier was a discontent, forever complaining about the king's decisions.

discontented adjective

Unhappy and restless, wanting things to be different. Someone who feels this way isn't at peace with their situation.

A discontented servant dreams of running away to the city.

discontenting adjective

Unhappy or dissatisfied. Someone discontenting is frustrated with how things are.

discontinue verb

To stop going to or spending time at a place. You drop out or quit showing up somewhere regular.

discordant adjective

Out of agreement; clashing or conflicting. When things don't fit together, they're discordant.

The lovers' discordant wishes — one wanting to leave, one wanting to stay — tore them apart.

discourse noun

The power of thinking and reasoning. Also: conversation or talk between people. Shakespeare often uses it to mean the act of speaking or debating something at length.

They engaged in discourse about the nature of love.

discourser noun

Someone who tells a story or speaks at length. In Shakespeare's time, a skilled talker or storyteller.

A good discourser could hold a room's attention for hours with tales of adventure.

discover verb

To reveal or make known something hidden. In Shakespeare, often means to expose a secret, show someone's true identity, or disclose a plan or feeling.

She feared he would discover her love for him.

discoverer noun

Someone who scouts ahead or explores territory. In Shakespeare's time, a discoverer was often a soldier or agent sent to gather intelligence about enemy movements and positions.

A discoverer rode ahead to map the passage through the forest.

discovery noun

The act of revealing or uncovering something hidden—a secret brought to light, or something found through exploration. In Shakespeare's time, it can also mean the thing itself that's been revealed or found.

The letter's discovery would ruin his reputation.

discretion noun

The freedom to make decisions based on your own judgment. In Shakespeare, it often means you should act as you think best in the moment.

The king told his adviser to use discretion in handling the dispute.

discuss verb

To speak out loud; to say or tell something plainly. In Shakespeare, it often means to name or declare something directly.

What is thy name? Speak it.

disdain noun

A feeling of anger or offense at something you see as insulting or beneath you. It's the sting of wounded pride.

She felt disdain at being passed over for the role she'd trained for.

disdain'd adjective

Full of contempt or scorn. Someone who is disdain'd looks down on others with arrogance.

A disdain'd nobleman refused to eat with the servants.

disease noun

Trouble or distress of any kind—not necessarily illness. The word could describe worry, grief, or anything that unsettles the mind or circumstance.

Protect yourself from the hardships of the world.

disedge verb

To take the edge off hunger or desire — to satisfy an appetite or craving so it's no longer sharp or urgent.

disfurnish verb

To strip someone of what they have or need. To leave them without.

disgest, -gestion noun

An older spelling of digest or digestion. Shakespeare sometimes uses this form when referring to the body's process of breaking down food.

disgrac'd adjective

Shameful or dishonorable. Brings disgrace on someone or something.

A disgrac'd soldier who fled the battlefield.

disgrace noun

A mark or blemish that spoils something's beauty or perfection. The sun, in this line, carries a disfigurement as it sets.

disgraceful adjective

Lacking grace or dignity; shameful and unbecoming. Something so rude or crude it brings shame on the person who does it.

His behavior at the feast was disgraceful—he belched and picked his teeth before the guests.

disgracious adjective

Out of favour with someone; actively disliked or fallen from grace. The opposite of being in good standing.

A disgracious courtier watches others climb while he stays trapped below.

disguise noun

Drunkenness. When someone is so drunk they're not themselves anymore.

dishabited verb

Forced out or dislodged from a place. Often used of things knocked loose or displaced—like stones torn from a wall.

dishclout noun

A worthless, contemptible person. The comparison comes from a kitchen rag—something dirty and disposable.

You call yourself a knight? You're a dishclout next to him.

dishonest adjective

Sexually unfaithful or promiscuous. In Shakespeare's time, the word carried serious moral weight—it meant a person (especially a woman) had broken the rules of chastity.

He calls her dishonest, suggesting she's been unfaithful to her husband.

dishonesty noun

Sexual impropriety or unchastity. In Shakespeare's time, this word carried a moral weight about sexual conduct that we might not attach to it now.

dishonour'd adjective

Stripped of honour or dignity. To be dishonoured is to lose your good name and reputation.

dishonourable adjective

Shameful or unworthy of respect. Acting in a way that damages your reputation or goes against your honor.

He made a dishonourable deal to save his own skin.

disjoin verb

To break apart or separate from someone. In Shakespeare, it often means to abandon a relationship or bond.

The lovers disjoin, each turning toward a different fate.

disjoint verb

To fall apart or come undone. Also used as an adjective meaning broken, disconnected, or thrown into chaos.

The kingdom itself threatened to disjoint if the king didn't act.

dislike verb

To displease or offend someone. Also used to mean disapprove of something.

disliken verb

To hide or change the appearance of something so it no longer looks like what it truly is. To disguise or mask the real nature of something.

He tried to disliken his intentions by pretending to be friendly.

dislimn verb

To blur or erase the edges of something, making it unclear or unrecognizable. Shakespeare uses it in *The Tempest* to describe how time or magic can dissolve the sharp outline of a form until you can't see what it was anymore.

The fog will dislimn the coastline until we can't tell where land ends and sea begins.

dismal adjective

Dark and ominous; suggesting something bad is about to happen. In Shakespeare's time, the word carried a superstitious weight—it comes from the medieval idea of unlucky days that ought to be avoided.

A dismal cry from the owl made everyone uneasy.

dismal-dreaming adjective

Haunted by bad dreams or nightmares. Someone troubled by dark premonitions or troubled sleep.

A dismal-dreaming night before battle would leave any soldier uneasy.

dismantle verb

To remove or strip away clothing, armor, or something that covers or protects. Can mean to undress yourself or to bare something that was hidden.

A king stripped of his crown, his realm dismantled of divine power.

dismask verb

To remove a mask from someone's face, either literally or by revealing something hidden about them. Often used to expose a person's true character or secret identity.

The villain's scheme was dismasked when his accomplice confessed.

dismay verb

To lose your nerve or confidence. When something makes you afraid or unsure, it dismays you.

The news of the storm dismayed the sailors, but they set sail anyway.

disme noun

One soldier chosen from every ten to be executed as punishment for the group's failure or mutiny. A brutal Roman practice Shakespeare's soldiers would have known from history.

The general ordered a disme of the cowardly ranks.

dismiss verb

To reject or cast aside. To push something out of your mind and stop thinking about it. To refuse to hear further in a legal setting.

A dismissed suitor is one a woman has turned down and will no longer consider.

dismiss'd verb

To forgive or let go of a debt, guilt, or grudge. Once dismissed, it no longer weighs on you.

His sins were dismiss'd by the priest's blessing.

dismission noun

The act of firing someone from a job or sending them away. In Shakespeare, it often carries the sting of rejection or disgrace.

After the king's dismission, the general had nowhere left to go.

dismount verb

To get down from a horse or a high place. Can also mean to remove or pull something loose—like drawing a sword from its sheath.

Your horse would trot just as well if some of your boasting were taken down a notch.

disnatur'd adjective

Against nature or what's expected of someone. Twisted into something alien or wrong.

A parent who harms their child acts in a disnatur'd way.

disorbed verb

To remove from its proper place or orbit. Shakespeare invented this word to describe a star knocked out of the sky.

A star disorbed and falling from heaven.

disorder noun

A breakdown of proper conduct or composure. It can mean a wrongful or chaotic act, or a troubled, unsettled state of mind.

The kingdom fell into disorder after the king's death.

disorder'd adjective

Wild and out of control. Someone or something that doesn't follow rules or stay in line.

A disorder'd crowd rushed toward the gate.

dispark verb

To open up enclosed parkland so the public can use it. A landowner breaking down the fences and barriers that kept common people out.

The king dispark'd his hunting grounds, letting the people roam freely through the forests.

dispatch noun

Speed or efficiency in getting something done. Also means the act of sending someone away, or completing a task quickly and decisively.

The messenger rode with swift dispatch to deliver the urgent news.

dispensation noun

Permission to break a rule or skip an obligation that normally binds you. Often used for religious laws, but also for any solemn duty or vow.

He sought a dispensation to marry his cousin, normally forbidden by church law.

dispense verb

To get by without something, or to overlook and forgive. Shakespeare usually uses it as "dispense with"—meaning to skip over, ignore, or let something slide.

"I can dispense with formalities" = I don't need the usual rules.

dispiteous adjective

Without pity or mercy. Cruel and unmoved by someone's suffering.

A dispiteous tyrant orders his enemies drowned without hesitation.

displace verb

To force someone out of their position or home. To banish or remove.

The usurper displaced the rightful king from his throne.

displant verb

To tear someone out by the roots—to uproot them, usually in a figurative sense. Often used for displacing a person from their home, office, or position of power.

The war will displant noble families from their ancestral lands.

displanting noun

The act of removing someone from a position of power or authority. To displace a ruler or official from their seat.

The displanting of the king left the kingdom in turmoil.

display verb

To show off or make a big show of something. To act in a way that calls attention to yourself or draws eyes to what you're doing.

He displayed his wealth by wearing jewels to every feast.

displeasure noun

Anger, annoyance, or disapproval—the state of being displeased with someone. To cause displeasure is to offend or upset them.

The king's displeasure fell on anyone who questioned his decisions.

disponge verb

To wipe out or erase, as if sponging something clean. Shakespeare's editors have used this word where the original texts show 'dispunge.'

disport verb

To amuse yourself or have fun. In Shakespeare, often used to mean hunting or playing for pleasure.

The lords come hunting this way to disport themselves.

dispose noun, verb

As a noun: the power to control or decide what happens to something. As a verb: to arrange, manage, or put something in place. Also means to direct or order someone to do something.

All these gifts rest at your dispose — you decide what becomes of them.

disposed adjective

In a cheerful, playful mood. Ready to laugh and have fun.

After the feast, the prince was disposed to dance and jest with his companions.

disposition noun

Your natural temperament or mood—the way you're inclined to feel or act. Someone's disposition is whether they tend toward cheerfulness, anger, stubbornness, or anything else that defines how they typically behave.

He accused her of a sour disposition, always finding fault.

disprize verb

To treat something or someone as worthless or contemptible. To show contempt by refusing to value or respect.

He disprized her love and cast her aside without a second thought.

disproperty verb

To take away someone's ownership or rights to something. To strip them of what they possess.

The king dispropertied the rebels of their lands.

disproportion noun

A lack of balance or fitness between things. When one part doesn't match or suit another—like a body with mismatched limbs, or a punishment that doesn't fit the crime.

His rage was a disproportion to the small offense.

disproportion'd adjective

Out of balance or harmony with something else. Mismatched in size, shape, or nature—things that don't fit together properly.

A giant hand on a tiny arm would be disproportion'd.

dispunge verb

To pour or spray down, as if squeezing liquid from a sponge. Often used for something unpleasant falling on you.

The poisonous night air dispunges down upon him like water from a wrung cloth.

dispurse verb

To pay out money or distribute funds. A Scottish and northern English variant of 'disburse.'

disputable adjective

Quick to argue or quarrel. Someone who's disputant by nature—ready to pick a fight over almost anything.

His disputable temper meant every conversation turned into a debate.

disputation noun

A debate or formal discussion where people argue different sides of a question. In Shakespeare's time, these were often intellectual exercises, not necessarily hostile.

The scholars gathered for a disputation on whether the soul is immortal.

dispute verb

To argue or debate about something. In Shakespeare, it can also mean to resist or fight against.

The two lawyers dispute the terms of the contract.

disquantity verb

To reduce or lessen something in amount or size. Shakespeare uses it to describe making something smaller or fewer.

disquietly adverb

In a way that disturbs or unsettles. You move, speak, or act disquietly when something about it troubles the people around you.

He disquietly paced the chamber, his agitation clear to all who watched.

disseat verb

To knock someone off a seat or throne. Often used for removing a ruler or pushing someone from power.

The rebel army tried to disseat the king.

dissemble verb

To hide your true nature or feelings behind a false appearance. To pretend to be something you're not.

He dissembled his anger with a smile, though his hands shook with rage.

dissembling noun

Pretending to be something you're not; lying or hiding your true feelings to deceive someone. A person who does this is being false and hypocritical.

His dissembling charm fooled everyone until his true motives were revealed.

dissembly noun

A malapropism for 'assembly'—a word-jumble that Dogberry invents in *Much Ado About Nothing*. It's not a real word, just a comedic slip of the tongue.

Dogberry calls a town meeting a 'dissembly,' mixing up his words like a befuddled constable.

dissolution noun

The breaking apart or melting away of something solid—either literally (like ice turning to water) or figuratively (a friendship crumbling, a person's resolve weakening). Shakespeare uses it for both physical change and the ruin of bonds or structures.

Fear's cold can melt away love's fire into dissolution.

dissolve verb

To break apart, melt away, or come to an end. In Shakespeare, it often means to fall to pieces—whether bonds coming undone, a spell fading, or someone melting into tears.

The charm dissolves apace—magic fades fast.

dissuade verb

To talk someone out of doing something. You give reasons why they shouldn't go ahead with their plan.

His friends tried to dissuade him from leaving the city.

distaff noun

A stick used to hold wool or flax while spinning. In Shakespeare's time, it stood for women's work and domestic life—the counterpart to the sword for men.

He insulted her by calling her fit only for the distaff, not for counsel.

distain verb

To soil, stain, or dishonour someone or something. It's a blow to reputation or purity, as if you've marked them with dirt that won't wash out.

She did distain my child — she tainted his good name.

distance noun

Disagreement or conflict between people. Also used in fencing for the proper spacing between fighters, or more broadly for the emotional space someone keeps—the opposite of closeness or familiarity.

He kept a wary distance from the court, unwilling to show his true thoughts.

distaste verb

To find something unpleasant or revolting. It can mean you dislike it yourself, or that something disgusts others.

Tears distaste the cheek—they're bitter, unwelcome.

distasteful adjective

Showing disapproval or disgust through your expression or manner. When someone makes clear they dislike something without saying a word.

She gave him a distasteful look when he suggested they cheat.

distemper noun

A disturbed state of mind or body—anger, illness, or drunkenness. Shakespeare uses it to mean anything from a foul mood to actual sickness or intoxication.

The king's distemper made him unfit to rule.

distemperance noun

A state of physical or mental imbalance—illness, fever, or emotional disturbance. When the body or mind goes out of order.

His distemperance made him feverish and confused for days.

distemperature noun

A sickness or disorder of the body. Can also mean a troubled state of mind—anger, anxiety, or emotional upset.

A fever left him pale with distemperature for weeks.

distempered adjective

Out of sorts—physically sick, mentally troubled, or just angry and upset. The word can describe bad weather, a diseased body, a troubled mind, or someone in a foul mood.

A distempered messenger arrives with foul news on a distempered day.

distil verb

To draw out or extract the pure essence of something—whether literally through heat and condensation, or figuratively by refining something down to its most valuable core. The word carries a sense of making something concentrated and precious.

Nature distilled Helen's cheek—meaning her beauty was refined and perfected, like the best part of a flower made into scent.

distillation noun

A liquid made by heating and condensing vapors—often a poison or potion in Shakespeare's time. The word carries a sense of something extracted, concentrated, and deadly.

A poisoned liquid poured into a sleeping man's ear.

distinct adjective

Separate and different from something else. In Shakespeare's time, actors sometimes stressed the first syllable (DIS-tinct) or the second (dis-TINCT) depending on the metre of the line.

distinction noun

The act of telling things apart, or noticing the difference between them. A way of recognizing what makes something special or separate from everything else.

He made a distinction between what he said in private and what he claimed in court.

distinctively adverb

Clearly; in a way that is plain and unmistakable. The exact word here is uncertain across different early printings of the play.

distinctly adverb

One by one, or separately from each other. In Shakespeare's time, this word meant to keep things divided or distinct—not mixed together.

distinguishment noun

The act of noticing a difference between two things. A mark or sign that sets something apart.

distract verb

To pull apart or scatter. Also: to confuse or trouble someone's mind so badly they can't think straight, or to drive them toward madness.

Grief had distracted him—he couldn't remember his own name.

distractedly adverb

In a scattered, broken-up way. Not smoothly or in one piece—the words or thoughts jump around.

He spoke distractedly, his mind clearly elsewhere, jumping from one half-finished thought to another.

distraction noun

A pulling apart or breaking up of something whole. In Shakespeare, it often means the mind coming unmoored — confusion, madness, or loss of focus.

When bad news arrives, her careful plans fall into distraction.

distrain verb

To seize someone's property or possessions as payment for a debt or as a penalty. It's a legal power—usually held by a landlord or authority—to take what belongs to you until the debt is settled.

distraught adjective

Mentally troubled or confused; not in control of your thoughts. Shakespeare uses it for someone whose mind is scattered or overwhelmed by emotion.

Her distraught state made it impossible to explain what she'd witnessed.

distressful adjective

Won through hard work and struggle. Bread that costs you pain to earn.

Labourers earned their distressful bread, sweat-soaked and exhausted.

distribute verb

To hand out or give out; in Shakespeare, especially to administer justice or punishment. When a king distributes justice, he's meting it out to those who deserve it.

The judge will distribute punishment fairly among the guilty.

distrustful adjective

Lacking confidence in yourself or doubtful of your own abilities. Someone who second-guesses their own judgment or feels unsure of what they can do.

He felt distrustful of his own courage when facing the battle ahead.

disturb verb

To interrupt or break up something peaceful—like sleep or quiet. Shakespeare uses it for anything that ruins a calm moment.

The noise disturbs my sleep.

disvalue verb

To speak badly of someone or something; to put down or dismiss as worthless.

He disvalues her intelligence, though she's proven herself time and again.

disvouch verb

To deny or contradict what someone has said. You're calling them a liar.

If you disvouch my promise, you're saying I never made it.

dive-dapper noun

A small diving water bird, also called a dabchick. It bobs and dips on the water's surface.

divers adjective

Different kinds of things; various or several. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean 'wrong' or 'perverse,' though that sense faded as 'diverse' took over.

The king hears divers reports from his messengers across the realm.

divest verb

To undress or remove clothing. Also used to mean stripping yourself of something you own or are responsible for — to give it up or cast it off.

He divested himself of his heavy cloak before entering the hall.

divi'dant adjective

Split into parts or separated. Something that's been divided up or kept distinct.

A kingdom with dividant loyalties cannot stand against a united enemy.

dividable adjective

Capable of being divided or split. Something that can be separated into parts.

The kingdom was dividable among the three heirs.

divided adjective

Broken or split into pieces; not whole. Something divided lacks completeness or unity.

A divided kingdom cannot stand against its enemies.

divine noun

A priest or religious leader, often of a non-Christian faith. Shakespeare uses it to describe anyone who serves a god or performs sacred rites.

Apollo's great divine—the priest who tends his temple.

divinely adverb

In a sacred or deeply pious way. With reverence and religious feeling.

She spoke divinely of her faith, as if prayer itself were flowing from her lips.

divineness noun

A quality of being exceptionally excellent or perfect—almost beyond human reach. It suggests something so remarkable it seems touched by the divine.

The divineness of her voice moved everyone in the theatre to tears.

diviner noun

Someone who claims to see the future or read hidden truths. In Shakespeare's world, a diviner might use magic, the stars, or spiritual insight to predict what's coming.

The diviner warned the king that his own child would bring him down.

division noun

A rapid melodic passage with ornamental flourishes, like a singer running through notes in quick succession. In a military context, a distinct unit or section of troops.

The soprano's division on the word 'love' made the whole audience lean forward.

divorce noun

Something that separates or divides. In Shakespeare, often death or an executioner's axe—the ultimate force that tears people apart.

divulge verb

To announce or declare someone to be something—to publicly state what someone is known for. In Shakespeare, often used with reputation or character.

They divulged him as a man of honor.

divulging verb

Coming out into the open; becoming known or revealed. When a secret stops being secret.

The truth was divulging—there was no way to keep it hidden any longer.

dizzy verb

To confuse or bewilder someone. To spin their head until they can't think straight.

The messenger's wild story would dizzy anyone trying to make sense of it.

dizzy-ey'd adjective

So dazzled or bewildered that you can barely see or think straight. The eyes are overwhelmed by light, beauty, or shock.

The sudden wealth left him dizzy-ey'd and unable to speak sense.

do verb

To perform, act, or carry out. In Shakespeare, it also means to kill, to play a part, or to be enough for a purpose. Sometimes it's a command meaning 'go on' or 'continue.'

You may do it extempore — perform it without preparation.

do de interjection

A sound that mimics shivering or teeth chattering in the cold. It's onomatopoeia—the word itself sounds like what it describes.

Do de, do de—I'm freezing out here without a coat.

dock'd verb

To bring a ship into dock or shallow water. Often used of a vessel coming to rest or being moored.

The merchant ship was dock'd in the harbor, safe from the storm.

doctrine noun

Teaching or learning. In Shakespeare, often means the act of instructing someone, or the knowledge they gain from it.

document noun

A written instruction or order. In Shakespeare's time, this could be a formal letter, command, or official directive.

The king sent a document ordering the arrest of his enemies.

dodge verb

To avoid or evade, often through cunning or deceit. To slip away from someone's grasp or a direct question.

He dodged the king's inquiry with flattery and excuses.

doff verb

To take off or remove something, usually a hat or piece of clothing. A quick, casual gesture—tip your hat, shrug off a coat.

He doffed his cap as she passed.

dog noun

A person who is skilled or expert at something. The word also appears in the phrase "dogs of war," meaning soldiers or the violence of battle. In Shakespeare's time, the letter R was nicknamed "the dog's letter" because of its growling sound.

"I am dog at a catch" — I'm really good at singing rounds.

dog-ape noun

A baboon or ape-like creature with a dog-like face. Shakespeare uses it as an insult for something brutish or ugly.

dog-days noun

The hottest, most sickly time of summer, roughly early July through mid-August. The name comes from the heliacal rising of Sirius, the Dog Star, which ancient people linked to the heat and disease of the season.

In the dog-days, the streets emptied and people fled to the country to escape plague.

dog-fox noun

A male fox. Shakespeare sometimes used it as an insult for a cunning or ruthless man—someone sly and dangerous.

He called the cunning general a dog-fox for his treacherous tactics.

dog-hearted adjective

Cruel and without mercy. Shakespeare uses it as a harsh insult for someone who acts with the hardness of a beast.

A dog-hearted villain shows no pity to those who beg for forgiveness.

dog-hole noun

A filthy, miserable place. Somewhere so bad you wouldn't wish it on anyone.

He called the inn a dog-hole—cramped, foul, and fit only for beasts.

dog-weary adjective

Exhausted. Completely worn out, as if you've been running hard and can barely stand.

After days of travel, the soldiers were dog-weary and ready to collapse.

dog's-leather noun

Leather made from dogskin. A cheap, low-quality material used for gloves and other everyday items in Shakespeare's time.

Dog's-leather gloves—practical and affordable, if not fine.

dogfish noun

A small shark — used as an insult for a mean or contemptible person. The name plays on the creature's aggressive nature and low status.

You dogfish! You'd steal from your own mother.

dogged adjective

Cruel and mean-spirited, like a dog snapping in anger. Shakespeare uses it to suggest something vicious or malicious.

doing noun

An action or deed. Shakespeare uses it to mean the things a person does—brave deeds, misdeeds, schemes, or the performance of a role.

His doings in the war earned him great fame.

doit noun

A tiny Dutch coin worth almost nothing. Shakespeare uses it as a joke about something worthless or trivial.

I wouldn't give a doit for his promises.

dole noun

A share or portion of something given out. In Shakespeare, often what life hands you—your fate or fortune. Also means grief or sorrow.

May happiness be your dole in life.

dollar noun

A silver coin from Shakespeare's time, either a German thaler or a Spanish piece of eight. The word also puns on 'dolour'—sorrow or grief—so characters sometimes joke about spending money as if it were a painful loss.

A merchant counting his dollars while lamenting the cost of his voyage.

dolphin noun

A large sea mammal related to whales. Shakespeare's audience knew dolphins as intelligent, playful creatures—symbols of grace and sometimes trickery.

domination noun

Complete power or control over a person, place, or thing. The right to rule.

The king's domination over the kingdom was absolute.

dominator noun

A ruler or person in command. Someone who holds power over others.

The king as dominator of the realm.

domineer verb

To eat and drink without restraint; to carouse and make merry in a loud, wild way. Often implies excess and swagger.

The soldiers came home from war ready to domineer all night in the tavern.

dominical adjective

Relating to Sundays. A dominical letter was a letter (A through G) printed in red on old calendars to mark which day of the week each date fell on, cycling through the year to help readers find Sundays.

done interjection

A shout of agreement or approval. Can also mean someone is finished, ruined, or has no hope left.

Done! We'll meet at dawn.

doom noun

A judgement or verdict, especially one that seals someone's fate. In Shakespeare, 'doomsday' or 'day of doom' means the day you die—the end of your life on earth.

His enemies pronounced doom upon him before the battle.

door noun

In the phrase "speak within door," it means to lower your voice or speak more quietly. It can also mean the direction or tendency of something—as in asking which way things are heading.

"Speak within door" = keep your voice down.

door particulars noun

Private family matters or domestic concerns. The things that happen behind closed doors at home.

dormouse adjective

Sleepy or sluggish. In Shakespeare's time, dormice were famous for hibernating heavily, so the word became shorthand for being half-awake or lethargic.

A dormouse guard wouldn't notice the thief slip past.

dost verb

second-person singular present tense of 'do'; what you do or are doing

Whatever you see when you wake, Do it for the sake of your true love, Love and pine for him: Whether it's a lion, or a cat, or a bear, A leopard, or a boar with bristly fur, It will appear in your eyes When you wake, it's your true love: Wake when something vile is near.

dotage noun

A weakening of the mind that comes with old age, often shown as foolish affection or obsession with something or someone. A parent in dotage might shower an undeserving child with gifts and forgiveness.

His dotage made him blind to his son's cruelty.

dotant noun

An old person whose mind has weakened with age. Someone in the final stage of decline, no longer sharp.

dote verb

To be foolishly infatuated with someone or something. You lose your judgment and can't stop thinking about them.

He dotes on his daughter so much he can't see her faults.

doth verb

does; third-person singular present tense of 'do'

Helena, we'll tell you our plan: Tomorrow night, when the moon comes up, And its silver face shines in the water, Lighting up the grass with dew, A time when lovers secretly meet, We'll sneak out of Athens.

double noun, adjective, adverb, verb

As a noun: a sharp sudden turn or reversal of direction. As an adjective: twice as strong or powerful. As an adverb: in a deceitful or two-faced way. As a verb: to increase to twice the amount or intensity.

double-henned adjective

Unfaithful or divided in loyalty. The word plays on the image of a female bird mated to two males—suggesting someone who can't be true to one person or cause.

A lover accused of seeing someone else might be called double-henned for betraying both partners.

double-vantage verb

To gain advantage in two ways at once. A move or strategy that works to your benefit on more than one front.

By marrying for love and gaining the kingdom, she double-vantages herself.

doublet noun

A snug jacket worn by men, typically sleeveless or with short sleeves. It was everyday wear—the kind of thing a man might throw on for work or action, in contrast to a formal coat or cloak.

He stripped off his cloak and stood in his doublet, ready to fight.

doubt verb

To suspect or fear that something bad might happen. When a character says they doubt something, they're not expressing uncertainty—they're voicing worry or suspicion.

I doubt some foul play has occurred.

doubtful adjective

Suspicious or worried. Someone who is doubtful is inclined to fear the worst, to suspect danger or betrayal.

A doubtful lover waits for his beloved's return, imagining the worst.

doubtless adverb

Without doubt or question; certainly. In Shakespeare's time, it can also mean without worry or fear.

dout verb

To put out or extinguish—usually used figuratively, like snuffing a light or drowning a sound. Shakespeare's texts vary on spelling here; some editions print it as "doubt."

To dout the flames of hope with a single word.

dove noun

A gentle, innocent, or simple-minded person. Doves were sacred to Venus and symbolized harmlessness and purity—so calling someone a dove meant they were trusting, naive, or easily fooled.

dower'd adjective

Given a gift or talent at birth. To be dower'd is to come into the world blessed with some quality or advantage.

A child dower'd with courage will face danger without flinching.

dowl(e noun

A soft, fluffy feather, especially the kind used to stuff pillows and quilts. Shakespeare uses it to suggest softness, comfort, or luxury.

A bed stuffed with dowl would feel like sleeping on a cloud.

dowlas noun

A rough, cheap linen fabric, often used for work clothes or sheets. Common in Shakespeare's time among people without money for finer cloth.

down interjection

A word used in song refrains and choruses mostly for rhythm and sound, not for literal meaning. It's filler that makes the verse bounce.

down sleeves noun

Sleeves that fit snugly to the arm, often made of soft fabric like silk or wool. They were a common feature of Elizabethan fashion.

down-gyved adjective

Hanging loose and baggy, like chains or shackles dragging down. Used to describe clothes—especially stockings—that droop and sag.

His stockings hung down-gyved around his ankles, all wrinkled and slack.

down-roping noun

The act of tying or securing something with rope, often by lowering it or fastening it down. A practical method for binding or restraining.

downright adjective or adverb

Straight, honest, and without holding back. As an adjective, it means direct or plain-spoken. As an adverb, it means absolutely or completely — no qualification, no pretense.

A downright lie is one told without excuse or softening.

downs noun

A stretch of sea off the Kent coast where ships would gather and anchor. It was a well-known meeting spot for vessels.

dowsabel noun

A pet name for a lover or sweetheart. Shakespeare's audience would have recognized it as a stock term for the beloved—especially in comic or rustic scenes.

doxy noun

A woman who travels with a beggar or vagrant. In Shakespeare's world, a doxy was usually the companion or lover of a man living on the roads.

He wandered the highways with his doxy, the pair of them begging for scraps.

drabbing noun

Spending time with women of loose morals or ill repute. It's the kind of low company a respectable person was supposed to avoid.

His nights out in drabbing will ruin his prospects for a good marriage.

draff noun

Leftover scraps and waste—the stuff you'd feed to pigs. Dregs, basically: the lees of beer, or the husks and refuse left over from grain.

A greedy person gobbles up anything, even the swill meant for hogs.

dragon noun

A mythical creature, fierce and powerful. Shakespeare often invokes dragons as symbols of danger, magic, or the supernatural—especially in connection with night or darkness.

dragon's tail noun

In astronomy, the point where the moon's orbit crosses below the ecliptic—the sun's apparent path through the sky. Shakespeare's time saw this as a real thing you could map and measure.

drain verb

To fall or flow out in drops. A rare use in Shakespeare, mostly poetic or dramatic.

Tears drain from her cheeks as she watches him leave.

dram noun

A tiny measure of weight or liquid—about the size of one sip. In Shakespeare's time, it's also what you'd call a small dose of medicine or poison.

Let me have a dram of poison.

draught noun

A pit or channel that drains waste and filth. Shakespeare uses it for the foul places where sewage collects.

He threw the offal down into the draught.

draw verb

To pull or drag. Often means to pull back a bowstring, or to pull a weapon from its sheath. Can also mean to attract or bring something toward you, or to receive money or winnings.

The archer drew his bow and let the arrow fly.

draw on, verb

To bring on or trigger something as a result. Also: to lure or tempt someone forward, or to approach and extend toward something.

drawer noun

Someone who pulls drinks at a tavern or bar. A bartender.

The drawer served ale to thirsty travelers all evening.

drawn adjective

With sword out and ready. Also used to describe a fox that's been flushed from its hiding place and is now cunning in trying to escape.

A drawn sword means business.

dread noun, adjective, or verb

As a noun: a person who commands deep reverence or fear. As an adjective: awesome, terrible, or worthy of awe—often used of a monarch or divine power. As a verb: to feel anxious or afraid about something.

Our dread liege commanded silence; we dread the loss of his favor.

dreadful adjective

Filled with dread or fear. Shakespeare also uses it as a strong intensifier—like saying 'terribly' or 'extremely'—to emphasize how much something is felt.

A dreadful storm breaks across the stage.

dream noun

a sequence of images, thoughts, and sensations occurring in sleep; also, something unreal or illusory.

Four days will quickly pass into night; Four nights will quickly pass away; And then the moon, like a silver bow Newly bent in the sky, will witness the night Of our celebrations.

dregs noun

The worst or least worthwhile part of something. Often what's left over at the end—the bottom of the barrel.

The dregs of his patience finally ran out.

dress verb

To prepare or tend something carefully—whether that's cultivating land, training a horse, or getting yourself ready. The word carries the sense of shaping something into proper form.

The gardener dressed the soil before planting.

dressing noun

Decoration or ornamentation that's added to something to make it look better or more impressive. In Shakespeare's time, dressings could mean the trappings of office—the robes, insignia, and other visible marks of rank.

A king without his crown and robes is just a man—the dressings made him look royal.

dribbling adjective

Missing the target. Used of an arrow that falls short or flies wide instead of hitting what it was meant to.

drift noun

What someone means or is trying to accomplish; the point or direction of something. In *Hamlet*, when characters ask you to 'understand my drift,' they're asking if you get what they're after.

drink noun

A bout of heavy drinking and revelry. In Shakespeare's time, a 'drink' meant a serious session—the kind where people got thoroughly drunk together.

The soldiers settled in for a long drink after the battle.

drive verb

To rush at someone or something with force. Also means to strike or aim a blow, often in the phrase "let drive." Can also mean to pass time or push it forward.

He let drive with his sword at the approaching guards.

driven adjective

Pushed or carried by wind or air. Of snow: piled up in drifts. Of down or feathers: separated and made light by air currents.

Lawn as white as driven snow.

drollery noun

A funny performance or entertainment—the kind of joke or comic act that makes people laugh. In Shakespeare's time, drolleries were often puppet shows or silly printed pictures.

The troupe put on a drollery to amuse the crowd between acts.

drone noun

The pipe in a bagpipe that plays one steady, low note underneath the melody. It keeps the same pitch the whole time.

The drone of the bagpipes filled the hall with its constant, humming foundation.

drooping noun

Old age. The idea is that age makes you slump and weaken, the way a tired person droops in a chair.

He's entering the drooping of his life.

drop noun, verb

As a noun: a teardrop, or a small amount of liquid (blood, water, etc.). As a verb: to produce or bring forth, or to fall into something.

dropping adjective

Wet with tears or liquid that drips down. Often used to describe sad or weeping eyes.

A dropping eye showed her deep sorrow.

dropsied adjective

Swollen and bloated, like someone with dropsy (a medical condition where fluid builds up in the body). Used to describe anything puffed up beyond its natural size.

A dropsied purse—full of air, empty of coin.

drossy adjective

Worthless or trivial. Like dross—the waste left behind when metal is refined—drossy describes something that has no real value or substance.

A drossy age cares only for gossip and show, not truth.

drouth noun

Extreme dryness or thirst. In Shakespeare's time, it meant both the condition itself and the feeling of desperate need for water.

The soldier's drouth was so bad he'd have drunk from a puddle.

drovier noun

Someone who buys and sells cattle, or who drives herds from place to place to sell them.

drown verb

To get someone completely drunk. The word uses drowning as a metaphor—alcohol floods the person until they're submerged in intoxication.

A third drink drowns him completely.

drowsy adjective

Sleepy or heavy with fatigue. Something drowsy makes you want to close your eyes and drift off.

The warm wine and soft music made the whole room drowsy.

drug noun

A harmful or poisonous substance, especially a potion or mixture meant to sicken or kill. In Shakespeare's time, this word often carried the weight of deliberate malice—someone making or using a drug was usually doing something wicked.

A witch concocts a drug to bewitch her enemy.

drum noun

A percussion instrument played to signal military movements, mark time in battle, or announce a procession; also used metonymically to refer to a drummer or military band.

Go home; I'll never return there As long as I can still swing my sword or hear the drum. Go, and get ready for our escape.

drumble verb

To move or act slowly and without energy. A person who drumbles dawdles, delays, and gets in their own way.

Stop drumbling about—we need to leave now.

dry adjective

Severe or harsh. Also used for jokes or wit that fall flat—dull and lifeless rather than sharp.

dry-beat verb

To thrash or beat someone thoroughly. The word *dry* here means without mercy or restraint—a solid, complete beating.

If you keep mocking him, you'll get dry-beaten in the street.

dry-foot adjective

Tracking game by following the scent of its footprints. A hunting term for following a trail by smell rather than by sight.

A hunter tracking the deer dry-foot through the forest.

dub verb

To give someone a title or rank, especially by ceremonial action. In Shakespeare's time, this often meant making someone a knight, but it could also mean calling someone by any name or title.

He dubbed her a lady, though she was born a peasant.

ducat noun

A gold or silver coin used across Europe. In Shakespeare's time, its value varied by region—Dutch, Russian, Austrian, and Swedish ducats were worth around 9 shillings, while Italian silver ducats were worth about 3 shillings 6 pence.

He'd give a ducat to know what she's thinking.

ducdame interjection

A nonsense word that Shakespeare seems to have invented. No one knows what it means, and scholars have spent centuries guessing. It appears in *As You Like It* as part of a made-up song.

dudgeon noun

The handle of a dagger, traditionally made from boxwood. In Shakespeare's time, a dagger with a wooden hilt was a common weapon.

He drew his sword, hand gripping the dudgeon firm.

due noun, adjective, adverb

A debt or obligation owed (noun): something you must pay or repay. Also: in a straight line or direction—used especially for compass directions like due west (adjective/adverb). As a verb (rare): to clothe or equip someone.

"The due and forfeit of my bond"—the debt I promised to repay.

duello noun

The formal rules that govern how duels are fought and settled. A code of honor that duelists follow.

By the duello, he had no choice but to fight.

duke noun

A noble ruler of a duchy—a territory smaller than a kingdom. In Shakespeare's time, this was the highest rank below a prince. The word also translates the Venetian title 'doge' (their elected leader).

dull adjective

Slow to understand or perceive; lacking sharpness of mind or sense. Also: heavy, sluggish, or not bright—used for people, feelings, colors, or the weather.

A dull mind misses the wit; a dull day brings a dull mood.

dull-eyed adjective

Sad or melancholy in a way that makes you seem tired and unaware. Your eyes look clouded or vacant, as if you're not quite seeing what's in front of you.

A dull-eyed prisoner staring at nothing through prison bars.

dumb verb

To silence someone or make them unable to speak. Shakespeare uses it to mean rendering someone speechless, either by overwhelming them or by force.

His rudeness left her dumbed—unable to say what was on her mind.

dumb-show noun

A silent gesture or movement that tells you something without words. In Shakespeare's time, actors would use dumb-shows to act out a scene or story on stage with no dialogue.

The ghost's dumb-show revealed his murder without uttering a word.

dumbly adverb

Without speaking. In silence.

She stared dumbly at the letter, unable to find words.

dump noun

A sad or mournful song. In Shakespeare's time, a 'dump' could be any tune, but it started life as a melancholy one—the word carries that weight even when applied to cheerful music.

Play me a merry dump to lift my spirits.

dun adjective

Dull grayish-brown in color. In Shakespeare's time, "dun" was also the name of a popular Christmas game where players tried to lift a heavy log out of imaginary mud—so the word could be a pun on "done" or just invoke the game itself.

If you're dun, we'll haul you out of the mire.

dung noun

Animal excrement, or filth in general. Shakespeare uses it as an insult—calling something dung means it's worthless and disgusting.

The earth itself, whether feeding beggars or emperors, is 'dungy'—base matter.

dup verb

To open something. In Shakespeare's time, this meant undoing a fastening—unlacing, unbuttoning, or unlatching—to reveal what's inside.

Dup the door and let them in.

durance noun

Prison or confinement. The word also plays on 'durability' and 'durable cloth,' since a prison is meant to last and hold you fast.

A villain locked in durance vile—trapped and unable to escape.

dust noun

A tiny speck of dry matter—the kind of thing you see floating in a sunbeam. In Shakespeare's time, people thought of dust as the smallest possible particle of something solid.

A grain of dust on your sleeve, barely visible.

dusty adjective

Made of dust; reduced to dust. Shakespeare uses it to describe death itself—the moment when all things crumble to powder and return to earth.

When a mighty state is 'grated to dusty' ruin, even greatness becomes ash.

duteous adjective

Obedient and respectful; willing to do what's expected. Shows loyalty and proper deference to authority.

A duteous son honors his father's wishes.

duty noun

Respect and deference shown to someone of higher rank or status. In Shakespeare, it often means the formal courtesies and acts of homage that social hierarchy demands.

A servant performs his duty by bowing and addressing his master with proper titles.

dwell verb

To stay or live in a place, or to remain in a state or condition. Also means to linger on something—to keep thinking about it or making a big deal of it.

Don't dwell on your mistakes; move forward.

dweller noun

Someone who lives in a place. In Shakespeare's time, the word could also mean someone who stays or lingers on a subject or idea.

dwelling noun

A place where someone lives. A house or home.

A goodly dwelling fit for a nobleman.

dwindle verb

To shrink or fade away gradually. Something gets smaller, weaker, or less noticeable over time.

His hope began to dwindle as the winter grew longer.